Programs

School Program: Opening Kindergarten through 6th grade in 2011-12. (Adding grade levels in subsequent years - 7th grade in 2012-13, and 8th grade in 2013-14)

Educational Program: Heron Bay Academy will be open to students residing in Henry and Spalding county school districts. The school will incorporate a core curriculum with the Paragon® Curriculum and a magnet-like Arts and Technology focus that links core learning with multiple learning styles. Core curriculum includes top rated, phonics-based Open Court Reading, SRA Math (the nation’s top-rated math program), Harcourt Brace Science, and Spanish. Paragon® is a proprietary social studies/history/geography program that incorporates literature, drama, art, music, and technology. Paragon® engages students with hands-on exploration and reinforces core morning classes by addressing varying student-learning styles.

Unique Program Aspects (In addition to meeting or exceeding all state and federal standards):
• 192-day school year
• Uniform dress code and strong student behavior code of civility
• Personalized Student Achievement Plans for every student (with annual learning goals and strategies to help achieve those goals)
• Instructional grouping (allows individual children to be grouped every 10 weeks with peers at the same instructional level, assuring that children are continuously growing academically and are appropriately challenged)
• Parental involvement
• Pre and post-testing each fall and spring
• Longer school day (8:00 AM to 3:30 PM)
• Multiple assessments including Dibels, A+, ITBS and CRCT
• Spanish education for all students at all grade levels
• Full-time teaching coach provides daily professional development
• World-class, research-based curriculum
• “Looping” whereby the student stays with the same teacher for 2-3 years
• Educational assistants supporting kindergarten and first-grade classes
• Technology integrated with a 1:3 computer-student ratio
• Fee based before and after school programs
• “Paragon® Night” (students to demonstrate their learning accomplishments to their parents and community every 5 weeks)
• Annual customer satisfaction surveys of parents.)
• Extensive professional development plan

Enrollment: Pre-enrollment began in April of 2008. For the inaugural 2011 - 2012 School Year, pre-enrollment is now open for kindergarten thru 6th grade.

Governance: Governed by a Board of Directors. All meetings and policies are subject to the Georgia Open Meetings and Records Act as well as the Georgia Charter Schools Act.

Food Service: Yes
Transportation: Walking/Biking trails and Carpools
Special Education: Yes
Gifted and Talented: Yes
English Language Learner program: Yes, immersion model
Curriculum aligned with Georgia Performance Standards: Yes
Certified staff and administration: Yes
Longitudinal assessment plus CRCT testing: Yes
Before and after school programs: Yes
Participation in state accountability, accreditation and school improvement program: Yes